


Nothing Like Love

by QuickYoke (orphan_account)



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, F/F, Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright Spoilers, Post-Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright, implied Azura/f!Kamui
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-05-24
Packaged: 2018-06-04 10:45:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6654886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/QuickYoke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The war is over, but the struggle to unite Hoshido and Nohr has only just begun. Arranged Marriage AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

> _“Nothing like love to put blood in the language”_
> 
> _-Margaret Atwood, Selected Poems II_

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

She had heard a story once. Mikoto told it to her long ago, when she was still a young girl with memories of her own mother who was long gone and could no longer read her tales of heroism and bravery at night. The story of a princess who kept her suitors at bay with nothing but a loom and her own surplus of wits. At the time Hinoka hadn’t thought much of it; she’d wanted to be regaled with thrilling sagas of knights and battle and daunting foes, like those she had seen woven into the ornate tapestries lining the Shirasagi castle walls. Now, as a general and knight, she found herself racking her memory for every detail. She only wished she knew as much about needlepoint as she did about swordpoints. Perhaps then she could weave her way out of this predicament.

Dusk veiled the horizon in soft lavender, and the narrow dart of high clouds threaded the sky. The nearby barracks clamoured with the voices of Hoshidan soldiers, but the evening was otherwise peaceful, warm, and summery. Completely normal. There should have been rain, she thought to herself bitterly as she lanced a straw training dummy with her naginata. Lightning and thunderclouds. Something to match the mood and properly herald the fate that approached.

Tugging her naginata free, Hinoka readied herself for another strike, hefting the long polished shaft with an expert turn of her wrist.

“Hinoka!”

She didn’t have to look to know who had arrived. Instead she continued to glare at the training dummy, striking the red-painted circle on its chest with pinpoint accuracy as though it were an eyelet.

Takumi stopped a few paces away, watching her wrench the naginata free and ready herself once more. He cocked his head, silvery hair glinting in the light of the setting sun. “Ryoma sent me to fetch you. Our ‘esteemed guests’ have arrived -- his words, not mine. We need to greet them for the banquet soon.”

Hinoka’s only response was to grunt and stab the training dummy again, feeling more irritation than the usual mild satisfaction she derived from doing so.

Crossing his arms, Takumi continued to stand there. “Aren’t you going to wash up and change into something more appropriate?”

“Why bother?” Hinoka used the back of her hand to wipe the sweat from her brow. “Wouldn’t want to be accused of false advertising, would we? What they see is what they get.”

He scowled, voice sharpening. “Look, if you don’t want to do this, then you could just call the whole thing off.”

With a wordless growl Hinoka struck the training dummy with such force its straw head was knocked clean from its body.

 _Call it off._ He knew she couldn’t do that. Ever since King Garon was killed by Corrin, and Leo took the throne, the war between Nohr and Hoshido had ended, but relations between the two nations remained cool at best. ‘Untenable’ was the word Takumi used. Hostilities and old grudges brewed beneath the surface, and in a last ditch attempt to salvage the relationship, two of the members of the royal family were chosen to be paired off. A political ploy, a show of union that was expected to bear no fruit, but which had all the appearances of an alliance.

Flinging his hands up in exasperation, Takumi turned to leave, already stalking away even with a parting, “Alright! Fine! Stay out here and sulk, then. But don’t blame me when Ryoma chews your ear off later!”

After he had gone, Hinoka heaved a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. When it came away glistening with a fresh sheen of sweat, damp strands clinging to the back of her neck, she grimaced. Perhaps he was right. Perhaps a quick bath was in order.

She refused to wear anything special, though. Ryoma and their esteemed guests be damned.

 

* * *

 

As it turned out, the first thing Hinoka felt upon greeting their guests was underdressed. The Nohrian royal family stood before them, sleek and dark and rakish, not a fold out of place. Even after what must have been an arduous week-long trek through the treacherous patchwork of mountains between their two nations, the three appeared entirely elegant and unruffled.A number of hand-picked, high-born nobles fringed the grand dining chamber, Hoshidan and Nohrian alike, brought together to mingle amiably.

Or at least that was the intent. In truth Hinoka could see out of the corner of her vision a number of the gentry eyeing each other askance, wary as feral cats in an alleyway and with about the same measure of subtlety.

Stepping forward, Leo bowed, the black crown on his head gleaming richly in the candlelight. “Eternal thanks for having us, Your Majesty. Hoshido grows more beautiful with every day of peace.”

“You do us an honour by gracing us with your presence, King Leo.” Ryoma replied, giving a small bow in return. “You and yours are always welcome in Shirasagi castle. After all, you are all family in more than name alone.”

Murmurs broke out among the ranks of nobles, and Hinoka steeled herself as though for a physical blow.

Nodding, Leo gestured. “My elder sister has graciously accepted the offer for her hand in marriage. She presents herself before you and these witnesses now as proof of Nohr’s sincere dedication to lasting peace.”

As he finished, Camilla stepped forward, bowing just as low as her brother had, and not a stitch lower. Knowing what was expected of her -- Ryoma had made her rehearse the lines and motions until she had wanted to bash his teeth in -- Hinoka moved forward as well to return the gesture. When they both straightened, Hinoka blinked up at her. She didn’t remember Camilla being so tall; it was easy to misjudge height when last they’d met had been upon a battlefield and both parties had been astride their respective mounts. Now Camilla’s eyes wandered over her clothing like a fine-toothed comb, examining every seam, and suddenly Hinoka wished she had worn something more -- _more._

Behind her Hinoka could hear Takumi clearing his throat, and she grit her teeth before announcing to the room’s inhabitants, “It would give me great pleasure if you sat beside me tonight, Your Highness.”

“The pleasure is all mine, General.”

For a moment Hinoka was baffled by Camilla’s use of her military title above her royal one, but then she held out her arm, and Camilla placed her hand just above Hinoka’s wrist, her grasp warm and feather-light, a far cry from the cold iron of her gaze.

“Come. Sit.” Ryoma’s broad voice rang out, arresting the attention of everyone in the room, for which Hinoka was eternally grateful. “Let us eat.”

Hinoka led Camilla to their pre-arranged places at the long low narrow table reserved for royalty upon a dais at the head of the chamber, and the moment they reached their positions Camilla withdrew her hand. Not a moment too soon for propriety, but not a moment later either. All around them the shuffle and voices of the nobility filled the air as everyone took their places and waited for Ryoma and Leo to sit before sinking down themselves.

Even seated Camilla seemed to tower over her, cross-legged upon the silk embroidered cushions set out on the floor for each of them. Hinoka sat ramrod straight, straining for every centimeter with very little success. If Camilla took any notice, she did not show it, instead running her thumb along the shiny fibre of the corner of the pillow, appraising.

“Hey, Camilla! Psst!”

Hinoka watched as the youngest Nohrian sibling, seated beside Sakura directly opposite them, waved for her sister’s attention.

“Where are the chairs? Do you think they were stolen?” Elise whispered loudly as servants began serving dishes.

Camilla smiled. “I think it’s customary to be seated as we are in Hoshido.”

“Or -” Elise countered, leaning forward conspiratorially, “-they were all used in the war as weapons. You know, like, launched from trebuchets.”

Hinoka could see Sakura biting her lower lip to keep from laughing aloud.

“That would certainly explain why we lost,” Camilla replied, glib. “Soldiers aren’t equipped to battle furniture.”

Elise leaned back, looking smug and crossing her arms over her chest. “I _knew_ it.”

As the food was finished being served and they began to eat, Hinoka struggled for any suitable topic of conversation. Meanwhile Leo, Takumi, Ryoma, and Corrin were all politely engaged in talk of the latest trade routes established, and Hinoka could feel the wandering gazes of the nobility flit between herself and the eldest Nohrian princess, muttering amongst themselves about these latest political developments.

Fiddling with her carved ivory chopsticks, Hinoka asked, “Were you able to find the stables for your Wyvern?”

“Well enough, thank you.” Camilla cupped a delicate mug of hot tea between her hand despite the warm summery air. A few wayward coils of steam unfurled in the air near her throat. “Your staff were most accommodating, and brought me the haunch of a deer to feed her. Though the horses didn’t much enjoy the stench of blood, I’m afraid. They rarely do.”

Camilla smiled, but it never seemed to reach her eyes. Glancing at her hands, Hinoka could see a hint of hart’s blood still darkening her fingernails.

Floundering once more, Hinoka was almost grateful when Elise’s fingers slipped around her chopsticks, sending a sliver of fish plopping onto the table. After much grumbling Elise turned to her sister. “Do you think the forks went in the trebuchets, too?”

Humming around the lip of her cup, Camilla sipped at her tea. “It’s entirely possible, darling.”

Trying and failing to pick up the piece of fish with her chopsticks, Elise finally gave up. “You know what? I’m just going to use my fingers.”

Before she could however, Sakura took pity on her. With a soft laugh, she stayed Elise’s hand and gently took the utensils. “Here. Let me.” She fashioned them at one end with a bit of elastic and folded paper from her pocket, and when she returned them they remained bound together; it was a trick usually reserved for very small children with little to no fine motor control.

Testing them out, Elise beamed. “Hey, thanks!”

Sakura smiled. “You’re welcome.”

With dismay Hinoka watched them settle into an easy, enthusiastic conversation, growing more animated with every passing moment. Those two could bond immediately over chopsticks, and Hinoka struggled to string two sentences together with her fiancée.

“General,” Camilla began, setting her cup aside.

“Just Hinoka. Please.”

The only people who called her General were her subordinates on the field. She didn’t point that out, though.

Inclining her head, Camilla continued, “Hinoka. I understand you enjoy riding as well.”

Hinoka hummed an affirmation and Camilla said, “We should go riding together.”

“Sure.” Wincing at how brusque that sounded, Hinoka added. “I mean -- I’d like that.”

Not sure of what else she could say to further the discussion, Hinoka turned back to her meal, wondering if their mounts would stand each other’s company as much as they themselves did. She couldn’t imagine a Pegasus and a Wyvern getting along all that well.

She didn’t point that out either.

 

* * *

 

Hinoka had never been so glad for a meal to end in her whole life. Relieved, she rose from her seat along with the others, and bowed to Camilla. “Thank you, Princess. I hope to enjoy many such meals by your side in the future.”

Takumi’s words -- drilled into her -- rose easily to her lips now that the entire ordeal was at last over. Camilla herself was bowing and about to return similarly parroted pleasantries, but her brother tactfully slid into the conversation before the two could part ways for the night.

“Princess Hinoka,” Leo began, hand on Camilla’s shoulder. “Your brothers, Corrin, and I were going to continue our discussions here, and I see that your sister has already spirited away Elise.”

Peering over her shoulder towards the exit, Hinoka could see that he was right; Elise and Sakura were at that very moment traipsing from the dining hall arm in arm, giggling like old friends. Traitors.

“Seeing as this is the case,” Leo gave Camilla a nudge forward, “Would you be so kind as to see your betrothed to her quarters?”

“You might even stop by the gardens,” Takumi added dryly from the side. “I hear moonlit walks are very romantic.”

Hinoka glared daggers in his direction, but kept her mouth shut. A horde of rumour-hungry nobles were eavesdropping nearby after all, which in retrospect was most likely exactly what her brothers all wanted. What better way to disseminate information of this happy royal union than through the fleet-footed machine of gossip?

Teeth clenched, Hinoka offered her arm. “Of course. Shall we?”

In Camilla’s defense, the glare she shot Leo was far more subtle than Hinoka’s own. Still she took Hinoka’s arm and allowed herself to be steered from the room, hand constricting only slightly when they heard Corrin call jovially after them, “Have fun, you two! Don’t stay out too late!”

“Isn’t that what the older sisters should be saying?” Hinoka muttered under her breath as they walked together down the hall.

“I think that would require Corrin to have a lover,” Camilla pointed out, releasing Hinoka’s arm as soon as they had rounded a corner and were safely hidden away from prying eyes.

“Well, she and Azura -” Hinoka began, but quickly cut herself off, eyes stinging. Camilla was staring at her, so she turned her face aside and cleared her throat, saying roughly. “Anyway. She’s gone, and Corrin’s still pretty broken up about it. I wouldn’t mention anything, if I were you.”

Camilla did not reply, and they walked in silence, broken only by the clack of their footfalls against the marble floors. “Your quarters are this way,” Hinoka pointed down another hallway.

“What’s that? No moonlit gardens?” Camilla teased weakly.

Hinoka aimed a level look at her. “Do you _want_ moonlit gardens?”

In response Camilla let loose a short breathy laugh, which Hinoka interpreted as: _Not on your life_.

“I understand that you’re about as thrilled with this arrangement as I am,” Camilla said as they stood at the crossroads of hallways, alone.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Hinoka grumbled, but made no other comment.

“Still that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be practical about the whole affair. If you wish to seek out your pleasures elsewhere, I won’t mind.” She waved her away, a dismissive gesture that made Hinoka’s blood boil to the surface until her cheeks were flushed with anger.

“Excuse me?” Hinoka gaped, indignant. “Do you really think I would be such a - a curr?”

Camilla arched a cool eyebrow. “I’m saying I don’t care if you are, darling. Only that we should be amicable. Rest assured,” she flipped a long lock of hair over one shoulder, “I certainly won’t be touching you.”

Hackles rising, Hinoka could feel her face burning. “Well -! Good!” she spat lamely, before turning and stomping away.

Behind her she heard Camilla sigh, “So much for amicable,” and was about to wheel back around to give her a piece of her mind, when they heard shouting in the distance. Amoured bootsteps and the clash of weapons echoed down the hallway in the direction whence they’d come. Exchanging a worried glance, in unison the two rushed back towards the grand dining hall.

Hinoka half expected Camilla to lag behind, but was shocked to discover that the elevated heels on her boots did nothing to slow her down. One thing was certain -- she wouldn’t want to challenge Camilla to a foot race anytime soon.

By the time they arrived upon the scene, the action was already past. No less than three royal guards lay dead on the ground, blood painting the walls and floor in ribbons. Another was being tended to by Ryoma, who did his best to staunch the flow from a wound while calling out for a healer. A flood of violet coloured magic faded from Brynhildr’s pages, Fujin Yumi remained aglow with ethereal light, and the limp body of a would-be assassin dangled from Corrin’s massive draconic jaws. Hinoka watched with wide eyes as Corrin dropped the corpse in a heap on the floor before changing back into human form, her front drenched in a wide apron of fresh blood.

“What happened?” Camilla rushed forward to check Leo and Corrin for injuries. “Is anyone hurt?”

“You mean apart from the obvious?” Takumi pointed to the dead guards. “No. Everything’s just fine.”

“Takumi…” Corrin said, a warning note in her voice.

Moving closer to Ryoma, Hinoka knelt down beside him, placing a hand on his forearm. “Ryoma, he’s dead. Let him go.”

With a curse, Ryoma moved his hands from the guard, rising to his feet, and Hinoka could see black veins of poison spreading across the dead man’s pale skin like uneven stitches.

“A poisoned blade,” Leo remarked coldly, toeing the offending weapon that lay on the ground by the assassin with the corner of his boot.

“And -” Corrin peeled back the assassin’s cloak to reveal another weapon strapped to his hip. “Wyrmsbane,” she hissed, recoiling instinctively.

“How convenient!” Takumi snarled, fist clenching around the haft of his bow. “You all show up, and an assassin comes after me and Ryoma with Nohrian styled weapons!”

“We were attacked in your castle under pretenses of hospitality!” Leo shot back. “Besides, there’s no telling who the assassin was truly after.”

“That logic is thin at best.” Takumi took a step forward, menacing.

“Believe me,” Leo matched his heated gaze without flinching. “If we had wanted you and yours dead, there are far more effective ways of going about it.”

“Leo!” Corrin admonished sharply, but the two ignored her, bristling.

“That’s enough!” Ryoma bellowed, voice ringing along the high ceilings. “Takumi, these people are our guests, but more than that they are soon to be our family, our allies. Until we can obtain facts, they will remain as such.”

“Thank you,” Leo said, shooting Takumi an ugly look. In return Takumi’s mouth twisted into a thin slant.

An uncomfortable silence settled about the room then. Hinoka was only grateful that the nobility had all long since dispersed before they could witness the entire debacle. The last thing they needed was wagging tongues.

“I’ll oversee cleanup of the bodies and proper funerals,” she sighed, grimacing down at the blood on her hands from when she had touched Ryoma, whose knuckles dripped with gore. “We don’t want word of assassination attempts getting around. Especially now.”

“Agreed,” Ryoma said. “Relations are rocky enough.”

Meanwhile Camilla bent over to unhook the assassin’s dark cloak, draping it across Corrin’s shoulders to hide the bloodstains covering nearly half of her body. “Let’s get you to a bath, darling.”

“Thanks, Camilla. Could we also grab something to drink on the way?” Corrin made a face, sticking out her tongue. “He tasted terrible.”

 

* * *

 

The situation did not much improve over the next week or so. Takumi and Leo were only kept from each other’s throats by the combined efforts of Ryoma and Corrin, and they still had very few leads on the origin of their mystery assassin. Hinoka spent a good portion of her time informing the families of the deceased guardsmen of their unfortunate and inexplicable bereavement. She always hated this part of the job, but somebody had to do it. She could have assigned it to one of her subordinates, but knowing that this matter needed to be kept under strict lock and key kept her from doing so. Better she handle it herself and shoulder the emotional brunt -- those soldiers had shouldered far worse.

All the while Ryoma kept pushing her to interact more with her future bride-to-be, which Hinoka stubbornly resisted. She couldn’t wriggle out of family banquets and the like, which were largely for the benefit of the nobility anyway -- apparently everyone liked a good show of the happy royal couple, except for the royal couple themselves -- but Hinoka did her damndest to make herself sparse whenever Camilla might be around. It felt too much like experiencing the life of a show pony, except forced into too-tailored too-fancy clothes and made to pose.

So, exactly like experiencing the life of a show pony.

For a princess, Hinoka had managed to evade most of those kinds of histrionics for the majority of her life, either by frequenting battlefields or otherwise preparing for battlefields. Now with no more war to be fought however, there were very few places she could hide.

“One walk along the promenade! That’s all I’m asking!” Ryoma implored, trailing after her as she stormed down a corridor intent on returning to the barracks for a bit of relaxing practice. She might even be able to coax a few officers into sparring with her.

“Keep dreaming, Your Majesty.” She used the title mockingly, refusing to look at him.

“I have more important matters to attend to than chasing around after you, you know,” he growled, doggedly following her every footstep despite his own words.

“Then attend to them!” she snapped, rounding on him at last. “You know, sometimes I wonder - why me? Why didn’t you chose to marry off Takumi instead? He’s your successor, not me!”

Startled by her abrupt about face, Ryoma straightened his shoulders and squared his jaw. “I won’t lie. I considered it. But then I was informed that the princess’ tastes ran in...different directions.” He gave a discreet cough. “I was only doing my best to be courteous of the parties involved while still achieving the best outcome for our two nations.”

Hinoka crossed her arms, giving him a flat disbelieving stare. “And you didn’t think to consider my tastes?”

“I asked if you would go through with this marriage, and you agreed that if it was for the good of Hoshido you would do it!” he reminded her, exasperated. “Moreover, I was of the mind that your tastes ran in both directions.”

She could feel a flush creeping up her neck. “Alright, that’s enough talk about my tastes.”

“You’re the one who brought it up.”

“Yeah, and now I’m ending it.” Turning away, Hinoka strode once more in the direction of the barracks. Hearing a long-suffering sigh behind her followed by footsteps, she knew that her efforts to shake Ryoma had been fruitless.

“Hoshido and Nohr have only just begun to patch themselves back together. We are broken and war-ragged, Hinoka, and we need every scrap of material we can get our hands on lest everything falls apart. Please -” His words took on a rare imploring note, and when she paused to glance over her shoulder she noticed just how tired he looked. “Would you at least try to make this work.”

Lips pursing into a thin line, Hinoka closed her eyes and inhaled deeply through her nose, a steadying breath. “Fine. Where is she?”

“Not far.” Ryoma answered, clearly grateful. “Leo is talking with her now. I’ll -”

“It’s alright. I can find them. No doubt they’re having the exact same conversation.” That last sentence she added under breath. “You should go back to ruling the country. Whatever that entails.”

“Paperwork,” Ryoma said dryly. “Paperwork and a lot of headaches.”

“Lucky you.” She shot him a wry grin, before striding off in search of Camilla and her brother.

It didn’t take long. Shirasagi Castle  may have towered and sprawled in all directions, but in truth most of the rooms were sealed off when not explicitly in use, and one didn’t grow up wandering its halls without knowing which were which. When she heard the murmur of familiar voices, Hinoka stopped and moved closer to a door left slightly ajar. Confirming who it was, she made to open it fully and announce herself, when she paused at what she heard.

“I hate this,” Camilla said, her voice hard and inflectionless as steel. “I hate everything about this.”

“Court life here isn’t so bad. It’s certainly nothing like Nohr. I thought you would find that appealing.” Leo insisted.

“Just because I despise politics doesn’t mean I want to be parted from my family,” Camilla spat. Peering through the narrow gap in the door, Hinoka could just barely make out the shadow of their outlines against the far windows, draped with tassled curtains.

“You wouldn’t be,” Leo assured her. “Corrin will be here. And Elise and I will make frequent visits. We’ve discussed this.”

“That’s not -!” Camilla jabbed a finger at him. “You should be marrying her! You need an heir!”

“I have you and -- if necessary -- Elise.”

“She’s too young! And I can’t -!” But whatever Camilla had been about to say she choked back, gritting her teeth.

For a moment there was silence, and when Leo spoke his words were hushed.

“It should be you.”

“Don’t say that!” Camilla gasped, grabbing him by the shoulders firmly. “Don’t you ever say that!”

Hinoka had heard enough. Straightening, she rapped her knuckles on the door and pushed it open. By the time she had entered, Camilla had let go of Leo and gathered herself. Looking at them now -- so composed, entirely unruffled -- if Hinoka hadn’t known better she would have sworn nothing at all was out of place.

Leo gave her a respectful nod. “Princess Hinoka, what impeccable timing. I was just leaving.”

He afforded Camilla only a brief parting glance before striding from the room, stopping at the door to nod to each of them once more, and suddenly they were alone.

Cautious, Hinoka moved forward to stand at Camilla’s side at the window, hands behind her back. “I was told to fetch you for a walk along the promenade.”

Camilla would not look at her, instead gazing out the window and out onto the fields below. The mid-morning sunlight gilded her in a velvety light, but when she spoke her words needled, harsh. “You heard.”

It wasn’t a question.

“Just the tail end of it.” Hinoka shrugged, but couldn’t keep her brows from furrowing.

Camilla did not answer, only turned to depart, brushing by her. “We should go. The nobility are waiting.”

Reaching out, Hinoka caught her by the wrist just enough to keep her from leaving. “Look, you were right. This is an unenviable position for both of us, but I’m here now, and I’m trying. If you didn’t want this, then why did you even come in the first place?”

Camilla smiled, and her eyes glittered like cold stones at the bottom of a riverbed. Pulling her arm free, she said in a low dangerous tone, “You know nothing of what I want.”


	2. Chapter 2

“You look like you could just scream,” Camilla leaned in close with that same smile she always seemed to wear. “I could help you with that.”

Hinoka flushed, brush frozen in place where she held it over her Pegasus’ neck. “ _What?_ ”

Camilla motioned towards the flock of watching nobles with a jerk of her head. Currently the two of them were outside the barracks, tending to their mounts while a handful of the nobility with nothing but time on their hands and nothing better to do gawped at Hoshido and Nohr’s newest attraction. Personally Hinoka was tired of being stared at around corners and from shadowed eaves like she was a rare breed of tit happened upon by vaguely sinister bird-watchers. On the other hand her Nohrian counterpart seemed entirely unfazed, every movement tactful and seamless.

It was times like these she wished her retainers were about so that she could order them into forming a distraction in order for her to escape. Setsuna was born into a noble family; she must be good at this sort of thing. It certainly didn’t help that Ryoma had insisted she and Camilla appear well and truly alone. He probably knew Hinoka would use them for just such a purpose.

Aiming a glare at the nobles who didn’t even have the sense of decency to look chagrined when she met their eyes, Hinoka muttered. “And how exactly would you help?”

Camilla shrugged and returned to adjusting a leather strap along her wyvern’s flank, holding the saddle in place across its scaly back. “Simple, really. We would go into the stables, shut the doors behind us, and you could shout all you like.” She waved a hand, a nonchalant gesture as though she was discussing the fine spell of weather woven throughout the last few days. “They’d assume we were indulging in lewd activities. Honestly, it’s a win-win situation.”

Hinoka grit her teeth, giving her Pegasus a particularly thorough brushing across its neck. “How in the world could that be considered a win-win situation?”

“We want them spreading talk about us,” Camilla pointed out, deadpan and matter-of-fact as she finished tying off the strap and ensuring it wasn’t fastened too tightly around the wyvern’s stomach. “The easiest and quickest way to do that is to give them something juicy to talk about.”

“ _Juicy?_ I am not a steak!” Hinoka burst out louder than she had originally intended, voice carrying. All of the nobles tittered among themselves, and she realised how that must have sounded out of context.

“Nicely done,” Camilla murmured with a smile. “Though now they undoubtedly think we’re having a lover’s quarrel.”

“Do _not_.” Hinoka growled back, jabbing the air in Camilla’s direction emphatically with the soft-bristled brush. Noticing how that must have looked, she snatched the brush back to her side and glowered at the nobles with all her might.

Camilla sighed, idly stroking her wyvern’s long neck. “You’re never going to get rid of them like that.”

WIth a huff of irritation Hinoka threw down the brush, where it landed in a pile of rye hay alongside a halter and length of coiled rope. “What would you suggest, then? I can’t threaten them with bodily harm now, can I?”

Not that she hadn’t been tempted. Ryoma had simply forbade it, saying that he would demote her and assign Takumi as her superior officer.

When Camilla opened her mouth to answer, Hinoka added quickly, “And don’t say ‘yelling in the barn while we pretend to have a roll in the hay.’ It’s not happening.”

“Hay in your hair would have been a good touch.” Camilla mused, tapping at her lower lip with a slender finger. “But I already have a far more effective strategy in mind.”

“I’m listening.” Hinoka crossed her arms. At this point she would take nearly any chance to get out of this present situation, even if only for a few hours at most.

“Kiss me.”

Hinoka’s mouth wrenched open, prepared to shout until she caught herself, glancing at the watching nobles. Lowering her voice to a hoarse and angry whisper, she hissed, “Have you gone mad?”

In response Camilla just tapped her cheek and stepped over so that they stood close together, caged between a Pegasus on one side and a wyvern on the other. “One kiss should be enough, then we can fly away from here and do as we like until supper.”

Hinoka weighed her options. On the one hand, she could stay here, struggling to string together a few topics of conversation with her betrothed beneath the unwavering scrutiny of people whose names and stuffy titles she didn’t care to learn in the first place let alone commit to memory. On the other, she could spend a wonderfully free afternoon far away from prying eyes, where she was in no danger of murdering the cream of Nohrian and Hoshidan society. All it required was the price of a single kiss.

She was a general, a Sky Knight, the eldest princess of Hoshido. She could summon up the courage for a kiss.

Before she could second guess her decision, Hinoka reached up and grabbed Camilla’s hand. Turning it over she bowed her head to press her lips against Camilla’s knuckles. Through the layers of gold-edged silk Camilla’s skin was warm and her wrists smelled faintly of rose-scented perfume. She lingered, pulling away slightly so that her exhale trembled over the back of Camilla’s hand, gathering at the dark embroidered trim there. Where Hinoka had expected Camilla’s hands to be soft, instead callouses coated the tips of Camilla’s fingers like layers of linen armour.

Camilla blinked down at her in surprise. “I was going to suggest the cheek, but I think I prefer your gallantry. More importantly, they seem to as well.”

Glancing to the side, Hinoka could see that she was right. The nobles craned their necks to exchange furious whispers like the rustling stems of reeds braided together along a muddy bank. Clearing her throat, Hinoka realised she was still holding Camilla’s hand and abruptly released her. “Can we please go now?”

With a laugh and a rueful shake of her head, Camilla said. “Of course. Where to?”

But Hinoka was already hauling herself atop her Pegasus, swinging a leg over the saddle. “Just -- follow me.”

Camilla gave an imperious snap of her fingers, and the wyvern lowered itself until its belly was pressed against the ground. Sliding gracefully into place atop it, she nodded in affirmation. Returning the gesture, Hinoka clucked her tongue and dug her heels into her mount’s flank, and with a powerful downward sweep of wings they were airborne.

The rush of wind weaving through her hair, the sinuous twist of muscle beneath the Pegasus’ skin, a stray feather flitting over her shoulder -- suddenly Hinoka felt more at home than she had in weeks. She didn’t have to think about where to steer the reins; with the slightest nudge of her knees and heels the Pegasus carried her to her usual retreat near the castle.

As the crow flies it took mere moments to arrive at the cherry blossom grove, and she leapt from her Pegasus’ back as soon as they had landed. Behind her she could hear the leathery beat of wyvern’s wings as Camilla arrived, hot on her heels.

“There’s a good girl,” Camilla cooed, and the wyvern arched back its long neck to better receive her affection.

“We can lie low here until we’re needed for our next pageant performance,” Hinoka sighed, leaning against the Pegasus’ shoulder and receiving an irritated slap of feathers to the face for her troubles. She waved the broad wing away, spluttering and indignant.

Sliding from her wyvern’s back, Camilla rummaged around in a saddlebag. “Not to worry, darling. I brought just the thing to pass the time.”

When she withdrew a blanket and a parcel of food, Hinoka’s eyebrows rose. “You planned this all along, didn’t you,” she accused.

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s always a strong element of improvisation to these matters. I only -” she waggled the parcel of food in one hand in a seesawing gesture. “-anticipated events and prepared accordingly.”

Eyes narrowing, Hinoka pressed. “That’s not everything, though. You _like_ politics.”

At that Camilla went deathly still, her smile turning brittle and sharp. “I’m good at politics. There’s a difference. You’re good with your naginata, but I’m sure you find it taxing after a long day.” All of a sudden she rounded on her wyvern, which had begun nosing hopefully at the food in her hand. “Eat that, and I’ll use your hide for my next suit of armour.”

Immediately the wyvern shrank back from the cold snap in her voice, not daring to even cast a longing glance in the food’s direction again.

Whatever reaction Hinoka had been expecting, this was not it. “Alright, I get it. Don’t mention politics. That should be easy given our station in society.”

With a delicate sniff Camilla walked a few paces from their mounts to set up the picnic beneath a nearby tree. “Stick to fighting, General. Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.”

Storming over, Hinoka helped her lay out the blanket in a flare of embroidered fabric. “I told you to call me by my name.”

“I’m not the one who starting throwing around mentions of our places in society,” Camilla countered as she sat atop the blanket and began unwrapping the meal she had packed for them.

“That’s -!” Hinoka paused long enough to take a proffered rice ball stuffed with salted salmon. “You’re avoiding the subject!”

“She learns!” Camilla said dryly, taking a rice ball for herself and biting into it.

Hinoka didn’t trust herself not to fire back an unkind retort -- thus undoubtedly falling further into some sort of conversational trap -- and instead stuffed half of the rice into her mouth, chewing angrily. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her Pegasus lipping at the grass nearby while Camilla’s wyvern watched it hungrily, thick scaly tail lashing across the ground like a large cat’s.

“If your pet dragon takes a chunk out of my Pegasus, I’ll -” Hinoka muttered darkly around a mouthful of food, letting the threat hang by a thread, unserged.

Camilla rolled her eyes, leaning on her side so that she reclined across half the blanket beneath a shower of silver and pink-throated cherry blossoms. She looked like a figure from an idyllic painting, and Hinoka’s fingers itched to dump her in water or push her up against the trunk of the tree -- frankly anything to break through that ubiquitous calm exterior. “Marzia won’t do anything unless I want her to.”

“What you want in and of itself seems to remain a matter of mystery,” Hinoka shot back, reaching out for one of the pears Camilla had packed for them and sinking her teeth into the pale golden skin with a satisfying bite.

“It’s all a part of my feminine charms,” Camilla replied, glib. She began to peel an orange, carving the rind into a long single serpentine strand with the nail of her thumb.

Hinoka snorted, breaking off another large bite of pear. “Don’t get me that load of Pegasus dung. What do you really want?”

One of Camilla’s eyebrows rose, and she finished peeling the orange, tossing the rind aside. “A massage and a hot bath.”

Scowling Hinoka wiped a dribble of pear juice from her chin with the back of her hand. “I’m being serious.”

“So am I, darling,” Camilla drawled. She split the orange in two and carefully tore off a slice.

With a groan of frustration, Hinoka gave up. She flopped onto her back, scraping off the last bit of pear from the core with her teeth, and stared up at the canopy of branches in bloom gently waving overhead in a breeze. Patches of cloud drifted lazily across the sky, and small bursts of sunlight dappled the grass around them in pools of brilliant green. Twisting the stem between thumb and forefinger, Hinoka watched how the pear core twirled in her hand. Camilla seemed perfectly content to let the silence that had settled between them stretch, broken only by the snip of birdsong and the slough of wind through the glade.

Finally Hinoka grumbled under her breath, “How am I supposed to be a good spouse if I don’t even know what you want?”

“Is that what has your pretty little head all in a twist?” Camilla was down to the last three orange slices, slowing making her way through each, the translucent skin of the fruit sheer as a gossamer sheet. “I wouldn’t fret about that if I were you.”

“Yes, that’s also what scares me.” Hinoka admitted, tossing the pear core aside and flinging an arm over her eyes. “A loveless marriage is never something I envisaged for myself.”

A throaty hum of laughter was Camilla’s response. “A loveless marriage is only ever what I expected. The most I dared to hope for was respect and mutual understanding.”

Hinoka made a thoughtful sound in the back of her throat. Respect and mutual understanding. She supposed they could muster that at least. For a moment she said nothing, then she pointed in a direction vaguely over Camilla’s shoulder. “There’s a hot spring just over there, if a bath is really what you want. Don’t expect me to give you a massage, though.”

Shifting to peer from beneath the crook of her arm, Hinoka saw Camilla’s eyes widen. Her head whipped around, long hair spilling over her shoulder in a curtain as she twisted to see the telltale plumes of steam rising from a pool of water not far off. As soon as Camilla rose to her feet and began tugging off pieces of clothing however, Hinoka covered her eyes again.

“Perhaps this afternoon won’t be a complete waste after all,” Camilla said to the sound of her cuirass falling to the ground, leaving her in a sheer purple silk shift beneath.

She was in the process of bending over at the waist to unhook her greaves when Hinoka grunted. “Glad I could be of assistance.”

It was just as Camilla was fiddling with the buckles of her claw-shaped cuisses that they heard the crunch of approaching footsteps through the underbrush. Immediately Hinoka scrambled into a crouch atop the blanket, looking for her naginata only to find evidence of their brief meal among Camilla’s discarded armour. With a feeling of horror sinking into the pit of her stomach Hinoka realised she had stupidly left her weapon behind at the stables, and Camilla’s axe was still hooked into place atop her wyvern’s saddle.

She didn’t have time to curse her own foolishness -- leaving behind her weapon in her eagerness to escape the nobles while assassin’s were targeting the royal family -- before their visitor stepped into view.

“Hey, Hinoka!” Sakura waved, cheery, but her smile froze in place when she caught sight of Camilla. “Oh! I - uh - Ryoma sent me to find you after you both ran off from the gentry, but -” She flushed, whirling around. “I’m sorry! I’ll leave you two in peace!”

Hinoka groaned. She could only imagine what this scene looked like -- she on her knees while Camilla stood over her stripped of armour. “No, it’s not -! Sakura, _wait!”_

 

* * *

 

 

“What on earth was so urgent for you to talk to me about?” Hinoka growled at Ryoma, who poured over a desk full of paperwork, not looking at her.

She had been forced to chase after Sakura through the glade in order to explain that in no uncertain circumstances was that scene what it appeared. Camilla of course had been of no help whatsoever, continuing to disrobe with an unflappable shrug once she realised they were in no immediate danger. It seemed nothing short of an actual assassination attempt would keep her from a relaxing bath.

“We have a good idea who the assassin was after,” Ryoma answered, flicking to another page and furrowing his brows as he continued to read. “Corrin.”

Hinoka blinked and leaned away from where she had her fists planted on Ryoma’s desk, sitting back on her heels. “Why -?”

Tossing down the page he was currently reading, Ryoma pinched the bridge of his nose, rubbing at his temple with his other hand. “We don’t know who’s behind it or why, but Takumi and Leo both agree. Reluctantly,” he added dryly. “But they do agree. The poison on the dagger is magical in origin, specifically designed to mimic the effects of Brynhildr. That and the fact that the assassin was carrying Wyrmsbane -”

“-Means someone is trying to turn us against one another,” Hinoka finished for him, her expression grave.

With a heavy sigh Ryoma lowered his hands and nodded. “Though as of now we have no indication what purpose our enemy hopes to achieve by killing her.”

Tapping her fingers against her knees, Hinoka mused. “It has to be someone who knows the Nohrian family reasonably well. Internal dissidents, still bitter over King Garon’s rule?”

“That’s entirely possible,” Ryoma agreed with a nod. “I have Takumi investigating all avenues. Leo has his own people working on this issue as well, but after the war Nohr’s operational abilities have been severely hamstrung.”

“Let me help,” Hinoka insisted, sitting up straighter at the thought of action after so many weeks of being paraded about with Camilla. “I could have soldiers comb through the countryside.”

Ryoma gave her an incredulous look, then shook his head. “While I appreciate your zeal, subterfuge is not your strong suit. We don’t want to scare off our adversary into hiding, letting the trail go cold. Moreover, you already have a critical role to play in this theatre.” When Hinoka frowned in confusion and cocked her head, Ryoma supplied helpfully, “Your marriage.”

“Corrin’s life is in danger, and you want me to focus on my _marriage?_ _”_ Hinoka barked.

“You unceasingly underestimate the amount of good this alliance will bring to the table. Already the nobility have spread word these last few weeks alongside the official announcements. Spirits among the upper classes haven’t been this high in years.” Ryoma didn’t let Hinoka get a word in edgewise despite the increasingly sour look on her face. “Is Camilla really that unpleasant to spend time with? From what Sakura tells me, you two were getting along very well earlier this afternoon.”

“That was -!” Hinoka spluttered, red in the face, “-Completely out of context!”

“No doubt it was,” Ryoma picked up his official seat and turned it over between his fingers, studying its weighty gold edges. “Though I’ll still be circulating the rumours as is.”

Hands clenching into fists, Hinoka steadied herself with a deep breath before speaking through gritted teeth. “And how should I focus on my marriage? I assume you already have something in mind.”

Ryoma tapped the carved end of the seal in a plate of glistening ink. “Mikoto Square will be holding its first market day at the end of the week since the disaster that demolished it in the first place. It would be a positive political statement to have you both attend for the people to see.” Hinoka hated to agree, but she knew he was right. Pulling the page he had tossed down closer to him, Ryoma stamped it with his official mark. “Besides, Camilla seems like the type to enjoy shopping.”

 

* * *

 

“I don’t care overly much for shopping at the moment.”

_Oh, great._

“We can just leave…?” Hinoka trailed off, a hopeful note in her voice.

However Camilla waved that thought aside. “No, it’s alright. A touch of browsing won’t kill me. Besides, I know someone will enjoy themselves.”

Hinoka was confused as to who Camilla was referring, until she looked around and saw Selena pouring over a nearby merchant’s wares, holding up a string of pearls to her neck and turning to Setsuna with a questioning expression. Setsuna frowned and shook her head, and with a pout Selena put the pearls back.

“You’re very considerate of your retainers,” Hinoka mused.

“As you are as well,” Camilla demurred. “But I was actually referring to them.”

She pointed, and Hinoka saw Elise and Sakura a few stalls down buying candied apples from a vendor. Hinoka hummed in agreement. “And leaving them wandering about by themselves hardly seems like a good idea with assassins running amok.”

“You took the words right out of my mouth,” Camilla murmured. “Not that I think their retainers aren’t perfectly capable -”

“-but an extra set of eyes couldn’t hurt.” Hinoka finished for her with a small smile. “I understand the sentiment.”

Camilla stared at her with something akin to shock painted across her features. “What is it?” Hinoka asked, suddenly worried. “Do I have something on my face?”

“No. Well -- _yes_.” Camilla let loose a wry laugh. “I do believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen you smile.”

“Oh?” Hinoka replied, voice dry. “It’s been known to happen upon occasion.”

In response Camilla hummed, a low soft sound. “You should do it more often.”

Face warming, Hinoka cleared her throat and began their circuit around the market. “Let’s just get this over with.”

With a huff of laughter, Camilla followed. Even for its first market day, a surprising number of people had showed up at the square the attend. The warm weather and the promise of colourful wares and shaved ice had drawn them all out. Feeling a prickle of sweat across her neck like the slow drag of a needle, Hinoka found herself eyeing up a nearby ice stand. She used her naginata as a walking staff while they wove through the bustle of people; that alone earned her a few looks. Along with her royal attire and Camilla towering at her side like a shadow, more than a few people murmured at their passing, making her jaw clench. She knew that the entire point of this exercise was the be seen, but she wished everyone would stop being so blatant about the whole affair. You’d think nobody had seen two people take a stroll before.

From beside her Hinoka heard, “Your smile has vanished. What a shame.”

“I don’t know how you manage to smile so much,” Hinoka grumbled. “It’s not natural.”

“Years of practice,” Camilla answered, and over one shoulder the jutting handle of her axe glinted silver in the noonday sun -- Hinoka was glad to see she wasn’t the only one who had come armed. “In Nohr one cannot afford to show weakness. If the courtiers smell blood, they come a-circling.”

“You make them sound like wolves,” Hinoka muttered, narrowly sidestepping a juggler tossing brightly coloured rings into the air.

“More like vultures, actually,” Camilla replied, and though she was still smiling her eyes held a cold light. “Wolves are too noble for their ilk.”

Hinoka’s eyebrows rose. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you didn’t like your own people very much.”

Camilla made a noncommittal sound at the back of her throat, holding it there like a stone. “The people I like just fine. Court, on the other hand…” She did not finish the sentence, letting it hang.

Glancing at her from the corner of one eye, Hinoka couldn’t tell if Camilla was lying, or saddened, or -- anything. Trying to get a read on her was as frustrating as trying to muddle through a book written in a foreign tongue. With a sigh, Hinoka gave up and instead turned to a nearby ice vendor.

“Two please,” she said to the merchant, who immediately began packing paper cones with freshly shaved ice from barrels sunk into the ground and bundled in straw. As he bent over to scrape them out, Hinoka leaned the naginata against her collarbone, and rummaged at her hip for the coinpurse tied there.

Handing over a few brass coins, she took the cones of ice and gave one to Camilla, who thanked her. They moved aside to stand in the shade of another stall, and Hinoka stabbed at her quickly melting treat with a small bamboo stick included in her purchase. “In any case, I hope you find Hoshido somewhat to your liking.”

Scooping up some ice, Camilla replied, “I’m an old hand at dealing with assassins. Ask Beruka. Trust me -- this feels just like home.”

Hinoka hid her embarrassment by shovelling ice into her mouth and scowling. “It’s normally better than this. But ever since the war -”

When Camilla did not answer, only continued eating, Hinoka gave an uncomfortable shrug and turned to peruse the wares on display in the stall they were occupying. The old woman running the stall watched them warily, but did not approach, for which Hinoka was grateful. Glancing down, she saw a row of handcarved pendants hanging from a rod, gleaming. One was shaped like a flame, heavily stylised and emblazoned with gold so that it glittered like an ember.

Hinoka’s hand clenched into a fist, spilling half-melted ice over her wrist; she knew she was staring but she couldn’t bring herself to tear her eyes away. She could remember spending hours whittling away at a pendant not so dissimilar until her fingers ached with the cramp of wielding the knife, but seeing the look on Azura’s face when she gave it to her was worth it.

A hand on her shoulder made Hinoka jump nearly straight out of her skin, and she dropped the slush of ice to grab at her naginata until she realised that it was only Camilla.

“Are you alright?” Camilla asked, brows furrowed in a concerned frown.

Breathing in deeply, Hinoka’s grip on her naginata slackened and she grimaced down at her wet hand, wiping it off on the front of her tunic. “I’m fine. I’ve just -- lost my appetite, is all.”

Camilla gave Hinoka’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and Hinoka wished it didn’t feel so nice. “We’re almost done here. Just a bit longer. We’ll complete a circuit, and you can go.”

Clearing her throat, Hinoka nodded. Their close proximity hadn’t gone unnoticed, and a few villagers stared alongside the merchant stalls draped all in a kaleidoscope of colour. Twisting her mouth in a narrow line, Hinoka reached up to grab a hold of Camilla’s hand. At the odd look Camila gave her, Hinoka explained, “I figure if they’re going to stare, we might as well give them something to talk about.”

Camilla snorted. “I love how you consider hand-holding something worth talking about.”

Despite her words, Camilla laced their fingers together all the same.

Cheeks flushing, Hinoka tugged Camilla along -- the sooner they finished up here the better. She thought of how her hand must have been cold and clammy from the shaved ice, but Camilla didn’t pull away, seemingly content to be led through the crowd, still wielding a half-eaten cup of ice in her free hand. They stopped to peruse a stand here and there, only half-heartedly glancing at the occasional bauble, though admittedly Hinoka did find herself drawn to the stall displaying a wide selection of polish-bright spears. She was so engrossed in pouring over them that she only noticed the amused look Camilla shot her when she felt a thumb trace the edge of her knuckle.

With a somewhat sheepish glance, Hinoka looked up. Behind Camilla a flicker of movement caught her eye -- Sakura and Elise trying on grotesque masks and laughing not far from them. Selena and Azama were having a vehement argument that Setsuna and Beruka were trying to break up, while through the crowd Hinoka could make out the breadth of one of Effie’s pauldrons, as well as the unmistakable rakish slant of Subaki’s hair. The others mustn’t have been far off, but a shiver ran down Hinoka’s back like the scrape of a fingernail along the ridges of her spine.

There, manning the stall, a masked figure stood watching the two youngest royal siblings. The mask’s black-lacquered teeth were bared in a rictus grin, and upon the stall’s newest arrival, the figure’s shoulders sloped imperceptibly inwards, as if reaching for knives strapped to their forearms. Corrin pushed through the crowd to join Elise and Sakura, greeting them with a sunny smile, and no sooner had she stepped forward than Hinoka knew something was truly wrong.

Not giving herself time to doubt her instincts, Hinoka dropped Camilla’s hand and snatched up her naginata. Eyes fixed on the masked figure, she darted forward, dodging around a child hawking fried squid, shoving a man aside and ignoring his exclamation of alarm. Something glinted in the masked figure’s hands -- the jagged edge of a wyrmslayer blade unsheathed -- and Hinoka gave a wild desperate slash of her naginata with a cry.

In the time it took for the assassin to leap aside, nimbly avoiding Hinoka’s thrust and lunging at her with blade bared, the surrounding marketplace scattered into chaos. Off balance from her frantic charge, Hinoka could only stumble back from the assassin’s backslash, but not quickly enough. With a hiss of pain she felt the sting of a blade bite above one eye. She pushed any discomfort aside, and whipped about to face off with the assassin, bringing up her weapon just in time to deflect another blow as the masked figure pressed the attack, keeping her balance off kilter and sweeping her feet out from under her in order to rush at the primary target.

From her place on the ground, Hinoka squinted through the furious trample of feet as innocent bystanders fled the scene as fast as they could -- fear of the last assassination attempt in this square driving them to hysterics. One eye could barely see through the curtain of shallow blood flowing from the cut on her brow, but Hinoka pushed herself into a crouch atop the cobblestones nonetheless. Someone tripped over the shaft of her naginata, sending it flying. Cursing loudly, Hinoka lumbered upright, searching for her adversary.

All eight of their retainers had formed a wall between the assassin, Corrin, Sakura, and Elise, weapons drawn and at the ready. Even as she clambered to her feet, Hinoka watched Camilla stalk forward and knock the assassin’s weapon aside with a flash of her silver axe, her smile holding a lilt both dark and dangerous. The assassin fumbled for another blade at their belt, but Camilla batted it aside as well, moving forward with the attentive grace of a large cat with its prey in sight.

The axe lifted for a killing blow, when Hinoka moved forward, bare hand outstretched. “No! Stop!”

Something like a snarl stole across Camilla’s features, and Hinoka dove forward, tackling the assassin to the ground before Camilla could cleave them cleanly in two. She landed with a grunt atop the assassin, and roughly turned them over to push their face into the ground and growl, “Hands on your head! And don’t move, or I’ll let her kill you!”

At that the assassin went stiff and still, only daring the breathe heavily, each exhalation a rasp behind the mask.

From above Hinoka heard Camilla’s voice, and she twisted around to see her towering, a faceless silhouette blotting out the sun. “I told you,” she said, hands twisting around the ornately carved handle of her axe, “I know how to deal with assassins.”

“You were going to kill our only lead!” Hinoka snapped back, pushing herself to her feet to face Camilla properly. “We need to take them in for interrogation.”

A hungry mote gleamed in Camilla’s eye, and she continued to watch the stationary assassin, never blinking.

“Not _that_ kind of interrogation,” Hinoka clarified, putting as much steel into the words as she could muster. Irritation flared briefly in Camilla’s face before she could conceal it, but before she could protest, they heard the clank of armour -- guards trotting towards them.

A number of guardsmen were trying to corral the mass of panicked citizens into some semblance of order. Hinoka jerked her head at Azama and Setsuna. “Help them,” she ordered, and with nods of acceptance they went to join them.

The four guards approaching saluted when they arrived. “Highness,” one of them greeted breathlessly.

“Take them in for questioning.” Hinoka gestured to the masked assassin on the ground, then added, “And be careful. They’re dangerous.”

Once more they saluted before hauling the assassin to their feet and carting them away towards the castle.

Corrin stepped forward, eyes wide. “Hinoka, I’m sorry-! I should have stayed in the castle -”

Hinoka cut her off by holding up a hand. “Don’t blame yourself. The important thing is that nobody was hurt.”

Nodding slowly but looking far from convinced, Corrin’s shoulders hunched with guilt. “I’m going to help the guards.”

“I’ll come, too.” Elise piped up, still clutching one of the masks she had been trying on to her chest. Sakura murmured to their retainers to join them as well, and the group started away to assure people that the imminent threat had passed.

Scratching at the back of her head, Hinoka searched the ground for her naginata, finding it lying a few paces away along the cobblestones. As she bent over to retrieve it, she didn’t see Camilla dismiss Selena and Beruka with a sharp gesture of her hand.

“You’re wrong, you know.”

Straightening with weapon in hand, Hinoka sighed and turned. “I’m not going to argue with you about whether we should have spared that assassin’s life.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Camilla placed the axe back over her shoulder, moving forward and tilting Hinoka’s chin up with her fingers. “Someone was hurt.”

The blood was already embrowning and encrusting itself across one side of her face. Hinoka waved Camilla’s concern away, insisting, “I’ve had worse.”

“No doubt you have,” Camilla murmured. She tilted Hinoka’s face to one side, pulling a kerchief from the swell of her cleavage, and using it to wipe at the the blood beginning to clump at Hinoka’s jaw. “It suits you.”

Carmilla's hands were steady, but the severity hadn’t yet left her gaze. She was close enough that her words tickled at Hinoka’s ear, making her shiver.

“And here I thought you were concerned for my wellbeing.” Hinoka gave a near inaudible hiss when Camilla daubed at the cut carving a vertical stripe from eyebrow to hairline.

“Of course I am,” Camilla breathed. If anything the sight of blood seemed to excite her, pupils dilating as the soft summer breeze shifted directions. “You’re family now, after all. I always care for family.”

Throat dry, Hinoka swallowed in an attempt to wet it to no avail. Camilla’s hand had moved to cup her cheek, palm warm. “I remember you saying not long ago that you wouldn’t touch me.”

At that Camilla froze, and for a fleeting moment her fingers dug into Hinoka’s cheek. Then she lowered her hands, and her features had rearranged into her usual disarming indecipherable smile. “So I did.”

Hinoka almost found herself regretting her choice of words as Camilla turned to walk away, in her fist the bloodied handkerchief still clutched.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> took a break from personal projects and work to finally update. Normally I'm better than this, I swear.

**Author's Note:**

> originally I'd planned for this to be 2 chapters of ~10k words each, but then decided to space it out into 4 chapters of ~5k words each. Enjoy!
> 
> EDIT: if I had wanted to write a more tragic angst fest AU I would have included Elise not being here but I couldn't stand that tbh not for this AU


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